Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 6

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Request to See Māyā and the Vision of the Cosmic Deluge

Devanagari script

अथाप्यम्बुजपत्राक्ष पुण्यश्लोकशिखामणे । द्रक्ष्ये मायां यया लोक: सपालो वेद सद्भ‍िदाम् ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

athāpy ambuja-patrākṣa puṇya-śloka-śikhāmaṇe drakṣye māyāṁ yayā lokaḥ sa-pālo veda sad-bhidām

Translation

蓮華の葉のような眼をもつ主よ、誉れ高き者たちの頂の宝珠よ。あなたを拝するだけで満ち足りておりますが、それでもなお、世界とその統べる神々が実在を物質の多様として見るに至る、あなたのマーヤーの力を見たいのです。

Synonyms

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमसूचक/अनन्तरार्थक (indeclinable; then/now)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कारक (indeclinable; also/even)

• ambuja-patra-akṣa: O lotus-petal-eyed one
• ambuja-patra-akṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambuja (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative)

• puṇya-śloka-śikhāmaṇe: O crest-jewel of the pious and famous
• puṇya-śloka-śikhāmaṇe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + śloka (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhāmaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः

• drakṣye: I shall see
• drakṣye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• māyām: illusion/power (māyā)
• māyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• yayā: by which
• yayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• lokaḥ: the world
• lokaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• sa-pālaḥ: together with its rulers/guardians
• sa-pālaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (‘with guardians/rulers’)

• veda: knows
• veda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sad-bhidām: of the distinctions among the virtuous
• sad-bhidām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + bhid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (satām bhidām = of the divisions among the good/saints)

Purport

A conditioned soul sees the material world to be constituted of independent, separate entities. Actually, all things are united, being potencies of the Supreme Lord. Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi is curious to witness the exact process by which māyā, the Lord’s bewildering potency, casts living beings into illusion.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Krishna (addressed as Ambuja-patrākṣa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna's Māyā?

This verse acknowledges Krishna’s Māyā as the divine potency by which the world—even its rulers—perceives distinctions and separateness, though Krishna remains the supreme reality beyond illusion.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī address Krishna as 'Ambuja-patrākṣa' (lotus-eyed) here?

Śukadeva uses an intimate devotional epithet to glorify Krishna’s beauty and divinity while introducing the profound topic of His Māyā and the extraordinary events surrounding His departure.

Practical application of understanding Māyā in modern life?

Remember that appearances and social labels can be misleading; cultivate devotion and discernment (satsaṅga, śravaṇa) to see beyond temporary distinctions and stay aligned with spiritual truth.